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Spades glossary

What Does Deuces High Mean in Spades?

3 min read

Deuces high is a spades rule that promotes two 2s to the top of the trump suit. At Spades Night the 2♦ (two of diamonds) counts as a spade and ranks above the 2♠, which ranks above the A♠. With jokers, the order is Big Joker, Little Joker, 2♦, 2♠, A♠.

Deuces high is a spades rule that moves two of the 2s to the top of the trump suit. At Spades Night, the 2♦ (two of diamonds) and the 2♠ (two of spades) both rank above the ace of spades, and the 2♦ becomes a spade. Put that together with the two jokers and you have the "joker joker deuce deuce" game. The full order is on the spades rules page.

How it works

House Rules at Spades Night deal a 52-card deck: the standard deck minus the 2♥ and 2♣, plus the Big Joker and Little Joker. The trump ladder:

Big Joker > Little Joker > 2♦ > 2♠ > A♠ > K♠ … 3♠

  • The 2♦ is the "big deuce". It's a spade in every way: it follows spade leads, trumps other suits, can't be led before spades are broken, and doesn't count as a diamond at all.
  • The 2♠ is the "little deuce". It stays a spade but jumps above the ace.

That gives 14 trump cards instead of the usual 13, or 16 with both jokers in.

Example

Spades are led with the K♠. The next player plays the A♠. Your partner plays the 2♠. You play the 2♦. Your 2♦ wins the book.

Diamonds are led: K♦. You hold the 2♦ and no other diamonds. You're void in diamonds, because the 2♦ is a spade, so you can trump with it. If you also held the 7♦, you'd have to follow with the 7♦, because the 2♦ isn't a diamond and doesn't count as following suit.

How Spades Night handles it

  • Deuces high is on by default.
  • Jokers on, deuces on: 2♥ and 2♣ out. Big Joker > Little Joker > 2♦ > 2♠ > A♠.
  • Jokers on, deuces off: 2♣ and 2♦ out. Big Joker > Little Joker > A♠ … 2♠.
  • Jokers off, deuces on: full 52-card deck, 2♦ counts as a spade. 2♦ > 2♠ > A♠.
  • Jokers off, deuces off: plain classic spades, A♠ high and 2♠ low.

Variations at other tables

Orders vary, and the 2s cause more table arguments than any other card:

  • 2♠ over 2♦. Some tables make the 2♠ the big deuce.
  • Deuce ace. Only the 2♠ is promoted, sitting just above the A♠, with no 2♦ in trump.
  • Joker joker ace. Jokers on, no deuces promoted.

See spades card order for every common ladder and spades with jokers for how the full joker joker deuce deuce game plays.

Questions people ask

Is the 2 of diamonds a spade?

In deuces-high spades, yes. The 2♦ counts as a spade for following suit, trumping and breaking spades. In classic ace-high spades it's just the lowest diamond.

Which deuce is higher in spades, the 2 of diamonds or the 2 of spades?

It varies by table. At Spades Night the 2♦ (big deuce) is higher than the 2♠ (little deuce). Some tables flip them, so agree before you deal.

What cards are removed in joker joker deuce deuce spades?

The 2♥ and 2♣ come out and the two jokers go in, so the deck stays at 52. That's how Spades Night deals House Rules.

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